Vulgar, shocking, rude, funny, tongue in cheek….no matter what you think of the name, there’s no denying that it’s got people talking. But in the kerfuffle over the name, has the fragrance itself been a bit overlooked? We think it might have been. The truth is that Fucking Fabulous is very good. It’s an edible but fresh suede scent that borrows a bunch of bitter herbs from old school fougeres, scads of buttery tonka from the gourmand category, and wraps it all up in a musky cashmeran glow. And guess what? Totally works.
Clary sage and lavender top out the scent, their clean, smoky greenness meshing seamlessly with plush orris butter to form a leather note that’s both soft and aromatic. Lashings of bittersweet almond and tonka bean beneath give the scent a velvety, almost oily-resinous sweetness, like white chocolate melted down with coffee grounds. The fragrance moves between bitter and sweet, herbal and creamy, powdery and oily over the course of the wear, keeping the journey totally interesting for us. Rumor has it that Tom Ford took one whiff of this creation and exclaimed, “This is fucking fabulous!” We’re inclined to agree. Set your feelings aside for the name, take it out for a ride, and you may agree as well.
Lavender, clary sage, bitter almond, tonka bean, orris root, leather, cashmeran, amber, white woods
Perfume rating 3.76 out of 5 on Fragrantica